Recent debates on immigration and asylum, the regulatory burdens of industry that became a key issue in the run up to the UK general election, and the high profile public inquiries into a range of political events, highlight the relevance of research by the ESRC Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation at LSE.

These issues and more are explored in the latest issue of CARR's magazine Risk&Regulation, published this week (Monday 20 June).

Government policy of the regulation of immigration and asylum, one of the most prominent domestic issues today, is increasingly led by public concerns. This creates difficulties: openly promoting regulatory 'responsiveness' to public opinion can lead to reforms that pander to the lowest common denominator of opinion - uniformed and with racist leanings. However the rising importance of the issue does suggest an increase in public sensitivity on issues of population movement. The government must tread a careful path between responsiveness to public opinion and representation of public interest.

Making Inquiries. Public inquiries play a vital regulatory and democratic function. By rushing the Inquiries Bill through parliament before the general election, the government has missed an opportunity to give inquiries expertise, credibility and independence, says Robert Kaye. Click here to download a copy of this article (PDF)

Recent inquiries such as the Hutton Report and the Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry into the case for war in Iraq highlighted problems with the regulatory system, particularly when it is the conduct of government itself that is in question. Why are specific chairs chosen? How far do political ambitions shape such seemingly independent inquiries? And how can the public trust the result isn't a whitewash? Rather than seeking to address these arguments, the new bill gives more power to ministers, who can now control the budget and timing of publication, block evidence and dismiss members of the inquiry.

Risk and Deregulation. CARR co-directors Bridget Hutter and Michael Power explore the relevance of CARR's work.

The report by Sir Philip Hampton, Reducing Administrative Burdens, endorsed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, highlights the significance of research on risk and regulation, taking a risk-based approach to inspection and enforcement as its central emphasis. CARR research has found that risk-based regulation embraces a broad range of approaches and risk based tools can be interpreted in different ways according to culture or other factors. With increasing political focus on cutting red-tape and increasing the efficiency of regulatory enforcement, understanding the benefits and dangers of risk-based regulation is increasingly important.

Other articles include:

Stereotypes of (De)regulation. Dr Kai Wegrich, University of Potsdam, uses Germany's focus on 'Entbürokratisierung' (de-bureaucratisation) to highlight how stereotypes can lead to problems.

Independent Regulatory Agencies in Europe. Mark Thatcher asks why Independent Regulatory Agencies (IRAs) have become a central feature in Europe? And with what consequences?

When International Standards Travel. Andrea Mennicken, who has recently completed her PhD in LSE's Accounting and Finance Department and was a CARR affiliated research student, examines how international standards have changed when transplanted into post-Soviet Russia.

Responsive Risk Regulation? Immigration and Asylum is by Will Jennings, ESRC/BP postdoctoral fellow at CARR.

Making Inquiries is by Robert Kaye, ESRC research officer at CARR.

Risk and Deregulation (editorial) is by Professor Mike Power and Professor Bridget Hutter, co-directors of CARR, LSE.

Stereotypes of (De)regulation is by Kai Wegrich, Faculty of Economics and Social Science, University of Potsdam.

Independent Regulatory Agencies in Europe is by Mark Thatcher, a member of CARR and reader in public administration and public policy, Department of Government, LSE.

When International Standards Travel is by Andrea Mennicken, PhD graduate from Accounting and Finance Department, LSE.

Risk&Regulation is the biannual magazine of the ESRC Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation (CARR). The magazine contains articles by leading scholars in the fields of risk and regulation and presents the latest research findings and commentary on risk and regulation related fields including managerial governance, financial control, utilities regulation, health, safety, and the environment.

The ESRC Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation (CARR) is an interdisciplinary research centre located at the London School of Economics and Political Science. CARR's research focuses on the comparative analysis of the organisational and institutional contexts of risk management and regulatory practice. In addition, CARR acts as a national and international hub for the field of risk and regulation studies through its outreach and visitors programmes. See: Analysis of risk and regulation|

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